This invention relates to animal ear tags and in particular, although not necessarily solely, ear tags provided as a single piece without a separate engaging portion with which the ear tag cooperates on opposed sides of the animal""s ear.
Previous patents for ear tags have included some ear tags in which a main body portion, neck portion and head portion are provided so that a driving pin of an applicator may engage the head portion through the neck portion and both the neck and head portions are passed through the animal""s ear. Those, such as the present inventor""s previous tag described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,224, go to a some lengths to ensure that the applicator pin or driving means is protected from contact with the animal""s ear through being sheathed within the neck and head portions of the tag. This leads to some difficulty in manipulation of the tag onto the driving means. This difficulty is particularly apparent in cold weather during which the material from which the tag is made may be less flexible. Further, this method is somewhat slower than may be necessary.
It is also apparent that such a method of fitment to avoid contact with the animal""s ear and, thereby reducing the risk of cross infection, is no longer as important when considering ear tags for temporary stock such as feedlot stock, which are referred to as feedlot animal ear tags.
In the case of such temporary stock, an easier insertion process may be desirable through the use of an alternative tag and method of application.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an animal ear tag which overcomes some of these disadvantages of the prior art or at least provides the public with a useful choice.
Accordingly, in a first aspect, the invention consists of an animal ear tag comprising: a main body portion connected with one end of a flexible neck, an opposite end of the flexible neck connected with a first upper face of a head, an opposite underneath face of the head having an open slot or channel leading to an aperture in the head and a bore within the head which bore extending along a longitudinal axis of the head towards a tip portion at one end of the head, the slot or channel enabling an elongate pin of an applicator to be positioned therein and guided and inserted into the aperture and the bore to drive the tip portion of the head through an animal""s ear and draw at least a portion of the neck into the animal""s ear such that the head is disposed on one side of the animal""s ear and the body portion is disposed on the opposite side of the animal""s ear; the flexible neck enabling the head to be folded after the applicator pin has been inserted into the aperture and the bore so that the longitudinal axis of the head is substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the neck during insertion of the head and at least said portion of the neck into the animal""s ear after which the resilience of the neck will return the head so that its said longitudinal axis is substantially at 90xc2x0 relative to the longitudinal axis of the neck to hold the head in position on said one side of the animal""s ear.
Further aspects of this invention may become apparent from those skilled in the art to which the invention relates upon reading the following description.